Your toenails turn yellow as a result of fungus infection. Certain fungi are known to produce pigments where they grow and those that grow in the nails make them yellow. Together with discoloration the toenails become thick and painful when you wear shoes. Toenail fungus is tiny group of organisms called dermatophytes they are also referred as onychomycosis.
What Causes Yellow Toenails?
Yellow toenail is caused by fungus infection of the toenails. It is not only unpleasant, but toenail fungus infection is also contagious, that means a person suffering from this infection can spread to others who come in contact with him or share common materials and belongings.
Warmth, moisture, darkness are some of the favored places where the fungus thrive. Toenails are usually susceptible to fungus infection because your feet remains trapped in closed toed shoes for a long time. It also occurs when you do not change your socks regularly and wash them regularly after you exercise, or wear wet socks.
People may also suffer from yellow toenail fungus when they use common baths rooms or walk around on the floor of wet swimming pool without wearing slippers.
Symptoms Of Toenail Fungus
The symptoms of yellow toenails or toenail fungus can be mild to severe.
- In the beginning, the yellow discoloration starts at the distal end of the nail. Slowly it grows inwards.
- At a given time a single toenail or more than one toenail can be infected with fungal infection.
- There may be foul smell under the toenail due to debris; your toenails may look yellow.
- Your nails can swell and become painful. You will find difficulty and pain even while wearing the best fitting shoes.
- The skin surrounding the toenail also turns scaly and inflamed, often the skin itches.
- The toenails turn thick and are difficult to cut. They can become crumbly.
- With passage of time, you may observe tiny pit marks on yellow toenails.
Yellow Toenails Home Remedy
Home remedies for yellow toenails or toenail fungus include
- Tea tree oil: apply few drops of tea tree oil on the yellow toenail. Tea tree oil is a fungicide.
- Apple cider vinegar: take vinegar and water in equal proportion, soak your toes in the prepared solution for 10 minutes regularly twice in a day. Your toenails should completely dry after soaking.
- You can also dab a cotton ball contain few drops of lavender oil and tea tree oil on your toenails, it is most effective yellow toenail home remedy.
- Though it may be little irritating, you can apply undiluted vinegar on the affected toenail. If you apply it regularly it kills the fungus.
- Rub oregano oil combining it with olive oil on your yellow nails. It prevents the microbes to spread further and act as a fungicide.
- Maintain good personal hygiene. Change your socks daily and dry your shoes regularly.
- Keep your toenails and feet dry, as warmth and moisture accelerate the growth of fungus.